Apologize
by Kku-ki7792
Summary: Rikku and Gippal have been together for some time now, but what Rikku doesn't know is that Gippal has been cheating on her...Does she love him enough to listen to him? Does she love him enough to let him apologize? Or will it be too late? Songfic,oneshot


**Apologize**

Summary:Rikku and Gippal have been together for some time now, but what Rikku doesn't know is that Gippal has been cheating on her...Does she love him enough to listen to him? Does she love him enough to let him apologize? Or will it be too late? Songfic,oneshot

Disclaimer: I do not own FFX-2 or any of its characters...

Hey!! This is my first one shot, I hope you enjoy it. I got inspired by a video on youtube and therefore the authoress gets a special mention!! imsumthinyoullnevabe this fic is for you, the plot is roughly the same, although I have changed a few things. I highly recommend her videos! They are absolutely awesome, especially for any FF fan . Anyway here goes! R&R please, love ya all!

* * *

The bustling murmur of footsteps echoed through Luca. It was early afternoon and the streets were filled with people going around their own business, looking at shop windows, buying balloons for their children, basically anything except staying indoors doing nothing.

"Come on! By the time we get there, there's going to be a huge queue!" a bubbly voice shouted above the bustling. Rikku was bouncing through the crowd, looking for nooks and crannies to slip into in order to reach a certain shop before it was too busy. At her heels a blond man followed, his hair up in his usual spikes, his one eye following the albhed girl in front of him, trying not to lose her in the crowd. After receiving several shoves and pushes they made it to the shop. Rikku walked up to the window and gazed wistfully at a black moogle doll sitting in the display, on top of a life size chocobo plushie. Gippal shifted uncomfortably behind her, looking back into the crowd they had had to fight through.

"Hey Gippal," the leader of the Machine Faction turned to Rikku. "You do remember it's our anniversary tomorrow right?" Gippal scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Uh… yeah, of course I remember," he looked back into the throb of people, his nervousness increasing. Just then a voice called out above the noise.

"Rikku! Gippal! Over here!" the pair followed the voice and connected it to a waving hand somewhere in the crowd. Several minutes later Yuna appeared, panting heavily after her struggle with the mob of people. Paine appeared behind her coolly as usual; the crowd had actually parted before her when they had spotted her sword hanging dangerously from her hip, so it had been no real trouble for her to get through. Yuna straightened up and beamed at Rikku and Gippal.

"Well, fancy meeting you two lovebirds here," she grinned.

"Yunie, it's Saturday afternoon and we're in the middle of Luca, you could meet anybody here. At least if you don't get trodden on," she added as she watched the human traffic jam.

"True, true. Do you want to grab something to drink? I know a cute little café on the other side of the square that has just opened up."

"Sure," Rikku replied and looked up at Gippal, who was standing behind her. He nodded and they followed Paine's lead through the crowd, Yuna pointing out the directions every now and then. After about twenty minutes of excuse me's, sorry's and let us through's accompanied by a few shoves they reached the café.

Rikku gazed up at the small building. It was cute in its own little way. It was a pale yellow, almost cream, with colourful blinds decorating the windows. Outside there were round tables, four chairs nestling around them comfortably, with umbrellas that matched the blinds.

Paine and Yuna went in to ask if they had a free table, leaving Rikku outside contemplating the exterior of the café.

"Hm… Gippal, don't you think we should liven up the Djose Temple like this? I bet we would get more diggers." Rikku turned around to look at Gippal, but stopped in her tracks when he wasn't there. "Gippal?" she called again, searching through the people that covered the square, there was no sign of him. She called him several more times before deciding to go in and warn Yuna and Paine. Before she entered the door though, she caught a glimpse of a spiked back hairstyle going towards the docks. Thinking that it would only take a few minutes she ran away from the café and towards where she had seen Gippal. When she had reached the spot where he had been standing she paused and looked around, the docks, unlike the rest of Luca, were deserted so it wasn't difficult to see a figure trotting of towards the other end of the docks.

"He must be sneaking off to buy me that moogle for tomorrow, I knew he would forget" she thought to herself giggling. "What I don't get is why he's taking the long way round, oh well, I'll just catch him the act, this is going to be some much fun!" she grinned at her plan, completely forgetting about Yuna and Paine and the cute little café. The only thing on her mind now was to follow Gippal and surprise him in the act of getting her a present that he should have already bought.

Using her outstanding agility skills, Rikku ran after Gippal, hiding behind crates when he turned, thinking he was being followed, and giggling when he shrugged his shoulders and continued walking down the docks. She followed him until they had nearly reached the other end of the docks. Gippal stopped, looked around him cautiously and went behind some crates. Rikku crept up behind the crates ready to jump on him but stopped in her tracks when she heard somebody talking.

"…I can't keep doing this Gippal, I'm fed up with the on and off thing, if this is serious then show it, let's make our relationship official." Rikku's heart jumped several beats when she heard the words 'relationship' and 'official'.

_I'm holding on your rope,  
Got me ten feet off the ground_

"Babe, you know we can't do that, I'm with Rikku remember?"

"Well what about me then, what about us?"

"I was drunk that night, you were fully conscious of that fact and still you took advantage of the situation."

"That was one night Gippal, what about the others?"

"…"

"As I thought, admit it Gippal, you knew what you were doing those other nights, don't deny it, you love m-"

"No!" Gippal shouted. "I. Do. Not. Love. You. I love Rikku, that's why I'm with her."

"If you love Rikku so much, why did you do what you did with me hm?" Rikku shuddered at the amount of malice and hatred as this woman said her name. Tears were already streaming down her cheeks, she hadn't even noticed them, all she could feel was the shard of ice that was piercing her heart and the pounding of the conversation she had just overheard in her ears. She clutched at her chest, about to scream out, but kept quiet when Gippal's voice was heard again.

"I'm human, I make mistakes. You were obviously one of them, we are nothing. That night I was drunk and there were others only because a certain somebody blackmailed me. Do not forget that I'm the leader of the Machine Faction, I also have several resources on getting my own way." Even though Rikku couldn't see it, she could feel that Gippal was using his death glare on the woman he was talking to, his voice had sounded like ice when he spoke. Rikku couldn't care less about the recent revelation, she was still trying to get into her head that Gippal had cheated on her, not once but Yevon knows how many more! She was so intent on trying to block out the conversation she had just heard that she almost didn't catch the woman's departing words.

"You will regret this Gippal, I swear you will. Nobody threatens me, least of all arrogant, cocky bastards such as yourself."

"Suite yourself Nhadala, suite yourself, but remember what I said."

Rikku watched as her once fellow colleague stormed off, her head held high, her whole body shaking with rage. Silently she lent against one of the crates and slipped down until she was sitting on the floor. Rikku dragged her knees up to her chest and hugged them, rocking back and forth, sobbing quietly into her scarf. She held her breath when she heard Gippal's footsteps coming out from behind the crates, slowly walking away from the place she should never have been in. Once Gippal was out of sight and his footsteps had died down, Rikku got up, inch by inch, holding onto the crate for support. She walked like a robot, a machina, towards the end of the docks. She wasn't expecting to find anyone on the abandoned docks, so she was surprised when she saw Gippal walking back towards the crates. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't see Rikku until he was right in front of her. After nearly bumping into her, he blinked several times, not believing who he was seeing. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped abruptly when he saw the tear tracks running down Rikku's cheeks, tear tracks that were being refreshed at the very sight of him. With just one look he knew exactly what had happened.

"You… you heard," it wasn't a question, just a statement that needed confirming. Rikku gave an almost imperceptible nod, blinking to clear her vision, only to make more tears run down her face. "I… Rikku…"

"Don't" she whispered, so quietly that Gippal had to strain his ears to hear her. "Don't," she repeated, "make any excuse." Rikku made a move to walk past Gippal, but he stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Babe, hear me out," he pleaded.

"Why should I?" she answered, still whispering, fearing that if she raised her voice anymore it would crack.

"Because you don't know what happened babe, listen to me"

"You left it very clear in your conversation with Nhadala."

"No, you need to know what happened princess."

"Oh, no. I know what happened, she said so herself, how many times Gippal?"

"No, she was jus-"

"How many times?"

"I don't know! Did you want me to keep count?" Gippal shut his mouth quickly, realising his mistake. He slapped himself mentally and tried to mend it. "No Rikku, I didn't mean that…"

"…"

"Hear me out, please?" he begged, on the edge of desperation. Rikku didn't turn around, neither did she reply. She walked away, slowly, automatically, as though she were concentrating on just standing up. Gippal's voice carried on pleading to her back, she didn't turn around.

_I'm hearin what you say but I just can't make a sound_

"Please, babe, Rikku, don't leave me like this, give me a chance. I need you…" his shoulders slumped in defeat as he watched Rikku walking away from him.

_You tell me that you need me  
Then you go and cut me down, but wait_

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking at the ground. He looked up when he saw Rikku stop; he hadn't thought she would turn around.

_You tell me that you're sorry  
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say..._

"It's too late to apologize Gippal," the slight breeze carried her voice to Gippal, it was only a murmur but he still heard it, his vision glazed over with the sound of her words.

_It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late_

* * *

Rikku walked across the docks until she reached the square, where Yuna and Paine were calling her name, searching for her frantically in the crowd. Yuna spotted her and rushed over, Paine following at her heels.

"Rikku we were so worried, why did you go off like that? What if something had happened? Oh Yevon I can't believe you're okay," Yuna said in a rush, getting flustered like a mother hen. Paine cut in coolly,

"Yuna, she has helped save the world twice, don't you think she is quite capable of defending herself?" Rikku watched Paine as she scolded Yuna, seeing them, and at the same time not seeing them, her emerald gaze was absent. Paine noticed because she stopped abruptly and turned to Rikku,

"What happened Rikku?" Yuna turned to face her cousin as well, seeing her tears for the first time. They were still falling but Rikku ignored them, not bothering to wipe them away.

"Rikku…" Yuna stepped towards her and pulled her into a hug, Rikku didn't respond, Paine watched with worry. It was then when she realised that Rikku had come alone. She instantly connected Gippal's disappearance with Rikku's distraught state.

"What happened?" she asked again, the tone of her voice increasing with insistence and worry for her friend, thinking that something had happened to Gippal. Yuna pulled away form Rikku to stare at Paine, about to say something about having a little tact, but decided to keep her mouth shut. Rikku still didn't respond, so Paine took her by the shoulders and shook her gently trying to get her to react.

"What is it Rikku? It has something to do with Gippal, doesn't it?" Upon hearing Gippal's name, Rikku's head shot up and her eyes filled with new tears, but these tears were different, they were tears of anger and rage.

"Don't mention that name in front of me," she said through gritted teeth. Paine let her hands drop by her sides, but her gaze didn't leave Rikku's face for one second. Yuna took Paine's place, putting her hands on Rikku's shoulder and forcing her cousin to look at her. A bi-coloured gaze crossed with an emerald and Yuna saw in her eyes a pain so deep it crushed her heart.

"Rikku, what happened with Gi-, with the Machine Faction leader?"

"He… he…"

"He what? What did he do?" Yuna insisted, seeing that Rikku couldn't or wouldn't for coherent phrases. Rikku clenched her fists by her sides and made a sound somewhere between a hiss and a strangled sob.

"He…," she tried again. "Nhadala…" Rikku stopped again and brought her fist up to her mouth to bite her knuckles, trying to calm herself down. Paine and Yuna waited patiently but anxiously, wanting to know desperately what had caused their friend so much grief. Rikku closed her eyes and counted to ten slowly in albhed.

"He cheated on me with the little btch I once called a colleague," she whispered so quietly that neither Yuna nor Paine heard her. They leaned closer to hear her better when Rikku looked up at the sky and screamed at the top of her lungs,

"HE CHEATED ON ME!"

Everyone in the square stopped and stared at the young albhed girl that was now hunched up as small as she could, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. Paine and Yuna looked at each other, eyes wide in disbelief and rushed forward at the same time to comfort Rikku. Yuna cradled her as Paine stroked her hair soothingly. Once her silent sobs had subsided Yuna held her at arms length and looked at her, seriousness and wisdom shining bright in her eyes.

"Now Rikku, explain what happened. We all know that Gippal would never do something like that to you, you've changed him that's obvious to all that knew him." Rikku just turned away from her and stared absently at a popped balloon on the floor. Paine decided to intervene,

"Rikku, I've known Gippal for years now, and if there's one thing I know is that he was interested in were girls in short skirts and a decent cleavage, but since he's been with you he's become a different man. He loves you, I'm sure of that, there has to be a good reason for him to do something like this to you." Rikku just shook her head, trying to deny it. Suddenly she stopped and stood up quickly, going as white as a ghost. Yuna and Paine looked at her, worry increasing by the second. Rikku was not herself, they were sure of that. Yuna was about to say something when Rikku uttered one word,

"Blackmail," the High Summoner and the warrior looked at her, the same question burning in their eyes. "He said he was being blackmailed. Nhadala was blackmailing him! She said that he would regret having threatened her." Rikku paused, understanding dawning on her face. "Oh no…" she whispered before turning her heel and running towards the docks. Paine and Yuna jumped at the sudden reaction but quickly regained from the shock and rushed after Rikku, not wanting to lose sight of her again. They saw Rikku at the end of the docks, going behind some crates.

"Damn that girl's fast" Paine muttered as she sprinted next to Yuna towards the crates.

* * *

Rikku ran behind the crates where she had overheard Gippal and Nhadala. She stopped when she heard Nhadala's voice sneering,

"I knew you would come, you are so predictable you know that?"

"What do you want? You've already destroyed my life, why the hell did you call me here for?"

"I told you that you would regret threatening me. Where are your so called resources oh mighty Machine Faction leader?" Nhadala's voice was teasing but filled with a hidden hatred.

"Do you forget that I'm your boss? I can fire you whenever I want, in fact, you are fired from this moment, how do you like that for resources?" Gippal's voice replied with arrogance, trying to get under her skin. It worked because Nhadala let out a scream of anger,

"You will regret the day that you crossed my path Gippal."

"Oh please, stop making empty threats. You aren't capable of doing anything except newbie blackmailing."

"Oh is that so?" Nhadala snarled. Rikku heard the sound of scrapping metal and the easily recognisable click of cocking a gun. She inhaled sharply as she waited for Gippal's reply, there was none, instead Nhadala's taunting voice was heard again.

"Oh my, has the big boy got no clever remark to make? Too bad." Rikku took that as a cue, Nhadala was going to shoot. Before she could even think she jumped out from behind the crates and threw herself in front of Gippal, at the same moment Nhadala's finger pressed the trigger and the sound of the gunshot echoed throughout the docks. The force of the impact sent Rikku sprawling to the floor, Gippal was standing with his eyes closed, waiting for the bullet to hit him. When he realised that it hadn't impacted he opened his eyes in disbelief. The first thing he saw was Nhadala standing in front of him holding an albhed handgun, the tip smoking a little, and a look of shock on her face. Gippal followed her gaze to the floor and saw Rikku lying on her stomach, a pool of blood forming underneath her.

_I'd take another chance, take a fall  
Take a shot for you_

"Rikku!" his scream sent the seagulls resting on the masts of nearby ships flying into the air. "Oh no Rikku, please no, not Rikku," he knelt down beside her, nearly tripping in the process. He turned her around gently, so that her back was resting against the cold steel floor. Rikku's eyes were only slits, her breathing was becoming shallow and irregular.

"Rikku, babe, look at me," Gippal said, cupping her cheek gently, his eyes watering. "Princess come on, look at me, don't go to sleep, stay with me." Rikku's eyes widened slightly and looked around wildly.

"Shush, babe, it's okay, everything is going to be okay, just stay with me." Rikku looked up at his face, tears falling from the corner of her eyes.

"It burns," she said, her voice so hoarse it was hardly recognisable.

"I know babe, I know. I'll get you something, just stay here, I'll be back as soon as I can." Gippal let his hand drop from her cheek and he stood up to go and get a doctor but was halted by a grip on his wrist.

"No," Rikku said, her voice still hoarse. "I need you Gippal, I need you by my side."

_And I need you like a heart needs a beat  
But it's nothin new_

Gippal looked at her, tears running down his cheeks as he sat down beside her. He pulled her gently onto his lap and cradled her slowly, caressing her cheek. He choked when he saw his hand was covered in blood, Rikku's blood. He shook his head violently, trying to get the image of crimson blood out of his mind. A huge sob racked his body as he lent over Rikku, listening to her fading heartbeat. He lifted his head when he felt a hand stroking his hair softly. His one eyed gaze fell upon Rikku's, whose eyes were slipping shut although she was fighting to keep them open.

"See, I told you I'm no princess, I don't have blue blood. Only royalty has blue blood," she murmured. Gippal only sobbed harder.

"Babe, you are my princess, you always will be. Just stay with me okay? Keep your eyes open."

_I loved you with a fire red-  
Now it's turning blue, and you say..._

Paine and Yuna had arrived when they heard the gunshot; they had watched the whole scene and were now staring dumbfounded at Gippal who was rocking gently back and forth with Rikku on his lap. Yuna had sunk down to her knees in disbelief; Paine was so pale that one would have thought that she had had all the blood drained from her. Yuna was sobbing as she crawled towards where Gippal sat on the floor. Paine was leaning on her swords, her ruby eyes glittering with tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. Gippal was oblivious to anything or anyone except Rikku. He kept talking to her, trying to keep her awake, not letting her sink into an unconsciousness she wouldn't wake from ever again.

"Princess, come on, stay with me now. I know it hurts," he choked back another sob, "but you have to stay awake now, don't leave me." He shook his head again violently, his tears flying everywhere.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

_"Sorry" like the angel heaven let me think was you  
But I'm afraid..._

Rikku's breathing was becoming so slight you could hardly see her chest rising and falling. Her lips murmured a few breathless words, words that would be recorded in Gippal's heart and memory for all eternity,

"Too late… I… love you…"

_It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late_

More tears ran down Gippal's face as Rikku spoke. In a desperate attempt to get help he threw his head back and shouted his all his might

"Is there nobody in Spira that can help her?!"

Yuna had crawled to their side and in a futile attempt she had placed her hands on Rikku's stomach and murmured a cure spell. Rikku's body glowed white but her only reaction was to look absently at her cousin.

"Yu-na… Tell Pops… he owes me… an airship…" Yuna nodded and covered her mouth with her hands to strangle her sobs. Paine had stumbled over and had knelt down on the other side of Rikku. The albhed shifted her gaze to the crimson eyed warrior, who also had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Paine… you never… did take… too many respect points… from me." Paine wiped her tears away with the back of her glove and with the other hand she grabbed Rikku's tightly.

"You always had the same number of respect points as Yuna, Rikku." Paine said as she squeezed Rikku's hand.

"That's…great…" Rikku whispered as her eyes fluttered shut. Paine gripped her hand tighter, quiet sobs racking her shoulders.

"Babe, Rikku! Open your eyes, come on, wake up." Gippal said loudly, shaking Rikku firmly but gently. Rikku's eyelids twitched slightly and fluttered open a millimetre.

"Don't leave me babe, I love you, stay with us come on."

"Gippal… I don't have… any time… it's too late…"

"No, it's not too late, stay awake."

"I can't…" Rikku's eyes closed gently as she took one last inhale. Gippal bent over her sobbing into her chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

_It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late_

Yuna was cradling Rikku's head gently as Paine held on to her hand; Gippal was hugging her body against him. None of them noticed that Nhadala was still standing there with her gun aloft. She still couldn't believe it, she had shot Rikku, she had killed Rikku, she was a murderer… She made a decision; she slipped discreetly behind the crates and disappeared, back into the busy streets of Luca, where nothing had changed.

* * *

The funeral had been quiet, only immediate family and close friends. Cid, Brother, Buddy, Yuna, Paine, Baralai, Tidus, Nooj, Lulu, Wakka, Leblanc, Logos, Ormi, Lucil, and Clasko were some of the few to attend. Baralai did the service and Yuna performed the sending. No one left with dry eyes, even Nooj shed a few tears. Cid and Brother took the news the hardest, Cid had fallen to the ground and stared into space and Brother simply fainted. Tidus, Lulu and Wakka were the next to be informed; they just thought it was some kind of cruel practical joke. Everybody took the loss very badly.

After the ceremony, Gippal had kneeled down next to the tombstone and hadn't moved. Baralai came and sat next to him and Gippal told him everything. Baralai didn't know how to console his friend, so they both sat in silence, tears streaking down their face.

_It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late_

Now, a few days later, Gippal stood in front of the white marble tombstone, staring down at the inscription. He took yellow and white roses everyday and set them at the head of the grave. Today was different, today apart from the bunch of flowers he brought a penknife. He knelt down beside the tombstone and started engraving a message on it. When he had finished, he stood up and looked at his work.

**Here lies Rikku,**

**Saviour and guardian of Spira**

**Twice was the world saved by her hands**

**May she rest forever peacefully in the Farplane**

**Her memory be ever remembered between those left behind**

Gippal looked at his addition to the engraving:

**I apologize**

* * *

Hey... please tell me I'm not the only one that cried... Maybe it's just me being sensitive... Anyway I hope you enjoyed it, leave a review, tell me what you think of it!!

If anybody wants the link for the video, PM me ok? I'll be glad to send it!


End file.
